Archive for 'Events'

In our final installment in this series, we will recount just a couple more of the Tuscan dishes that you should keep an eye out for if you are visiting the area over the Christmas or winter period this year.

We have discussed plenty of sweet treats and savory delights but there is one delicacy that is king in Tuscany and is imported out of the region to every corner of the globe: truffles.

San Miniato in Tuscany is, in fact, one of the most productive truffle-rich areas of Europe and the white truffle that grows in the San Miniato hills is the most valuable variety.

The truffle has greatly impacted local cuisine and is so important to local identity that the town hosts an annual market, the San Miniato National White Truffle Market, during the last three weeks of November, which is internationally celebrated and recognised.

Tuscany, like any other country where Christmas is widely celebrated, has many different traditions to do with the holiday and is an important event that brings families together. Of course, if it's an Italian celebration of a holiday, food is going to be an important part of said celebrations.

For example, Arista alla Fiorentina is a pork-based dish originating from Florence that is a delicious alternative to turkey and a sure crowd-pleaser. “Arista” comes from the Greek word “aristos”, meaning "best" and, according to legend, it can be traced back to the 15th century, when Greek clergymen visiting Florence in 1430 for an Ecumenical Council were served the Tuscan-style roast pork and found it to be "aristos". It has been called this ever since then. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and try this delicious dish for yourself.

Continuing on from our last post, we are outlining some of the dishes from Tuscany that you need to try if you are spending the Christmas period in the region this year!

These include delicious desserts and wonderful main courses and, among them, you are sure to find something to please everyone in your party.

Savoury dishes and gelato are what come to mind when people think of Italian food but the beautiful and historic Siena, is actually particularly well-known for her pastries and, while they are not something you only find at Christmas, they are very much connected to the time of year. In fact, you will probably find many are readily available in nicely packaged sets in gourmet and specialist food shops in your own city over the festive period.

If you are spending time in Tuscany, trying delicious local dishes and delicacies is bound to be on the top of your to-do list. This should be no different if you happen to be spending Christmas in Tuscany.

Forget your regular traditions for once and, instead, truly immerse yourself in Tuscan foodie culture – you won't regret it! To help you out, we've put together a guide to some of the dishes, treats and sweets that you should keep an eye out for on your trip.

Tuscany's hearty cuisine is perfectly suited for the weather in Winter. One of the most cherished dishes is Zuppa di Farro, or Farro Soup. Farro is a grain not unlike spelt which is readily available in Italy but less common elsewhere.

Our last article outlined the Italian tradition of Presepi, or Nativity Scenes, and their origins and cultural significance. This second installment aims to help you find some real examples if you have found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are planning on spending time in the region over the festive period.

We have put together a long, but in no way exhaustive, list of some of the better Presepi that you can find in Tuscany.

However, as we mentioned in the last article, almost every church and town will have one, though they may vary in scale, style and elaboration. Among these, you may even find some hidden gems that we haven't listed so take this as a rough guide rather than the bible.